The Remnants Of War
by xWei
Summary: Post-Fourth Shinobi War. The Shinobi Alliance was ultimately victories in their struggle against the Akatsuki-led forces, but at what cost? Watch as Naruto Uzumaki, pariah-turned-hero, struggle with the ghosts of his past and possible demons of the future. Is he able to let go and embrace what is to come, or will he simply be consume in a cycle of never-ending pain and regret...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and if I did, I'd probably run the whole thing to the ground, especially with my lazy outlook and laid back attitude x.x

**The Remnants of War**

**Summary:** Post-Fourth Shinobi War. The Shinobi Alliance was ultimately victories in their struggle against the Akatsuki-led forces, but at what cost? Watch as Naruto Uzumaki, pariah-turned-hero, struggle with the ghosts of his past and possible demons of the future. Is he able to let go and embrace what is to come, or will he simply be consume in a cycle of never-ending pain and regret...

**Ages:  
**

Naruto Uzumaki- 21

Yakumo Kurama- 24

Hanabi Hyuga- 16

I'm not certain about the age difference between Naruto and Yakumo, and Narutopedia does not specify an age. I'm assuming it's a 3 year difference, as when we meet the Kurama Heir in Part 1, Naruto was about 12 years old, so a 15 year old Yakumo does not seem out of context.

**Authors Note:** Was pretty miffed that the anime brought such Genjutsu Talent in the form of the Kurama Bloodline into the series, only to forsake it...Well, this is to (partly) rectify that :) Please check out "Yakumo Kurama" on Narutopedia if you are not familiar with her.

**Please Read: **I do not follow the manga, and I was about 10 episodes out-of-date with the anime when I wrote this. The first scene is practically my summed up version of the Fourth Shinobi War so please don't flame (if you know you're going to, please refrain from reading on 0.o), and rested assured, it's practically only the first scene :)

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**Chapter One**

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"Konoha Chunin contestants Karui Aburame, Hanabi Hyuga and Akira Haragashi, please come forth to receive your Chunin Attire and accompanying Documents!" announced the proctor of the very first Chunin exam hosted at Iwagakure No Sato, just a year after the devastating Fourth Shinobi War. Due to the death of the Third Tsuchikage, the Fouth had his hands full familiarising with the needs and demands of his new post. Furthermore, he also has to deal with the added work from the recent war. Determined not to appear weak after their loss, the new Tsuchikage had personally requested the honour of hosting the exams, and the other Kages, glad for the reduced paperwork, gladly agreed to his proposition.

The desperate war effort against the Akatsuki had came to a definite end only a year ago. Each battle fought was a desperate bid of skill, power and untold amounts of blind luck. The Shinobi Alliance were hard pressed, even with good ninja who readily gave their lives for the sake of not only the Ninja World, but the Elemental Nations as a whole. Tobi, in a last ditch effort, had released a monstrous jutsu fueled by seven of the nine Biju, effectively taking out more than half the advancing forces that were to root him out once and for all.

Needless to say, the masked juggernaut had greatly rued his disposal of Kabuto Yakushi, mainly before prying all the secretes of the Edo Tensei. The former medical-nin had taken extreme caution in preserving "Lord Orochimaru's secretes", and even with that unpredictable space-time jutsu of his, Tobi was ultimately unsuccessful. The snake-like man was brought to a bloody end at the height of Tobi's upcoming victory. Unfortunately for the Uchiha, the slippery serpent had somehow unlocked a way to sabotaged the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, much to his incredibility and rage. Kabuto did so in an effort to prolong the war effort and sought a way to spew up his own reign of chaos, seemingly enjoying the death and bloodshed. By doing so, he had no doubt foiled Tobi's master plan. Sending seven Chakra Monsters on a rampage within the Grand Akatsuki Hideout itself... It effectively took out all White-Zetsu reserves that were being bred. A game-changer, indeed.

According to gathered Intel, the white army had numbered another 100, 000- a force that would have surely crushed the faltering Alliance. It was after that blessèd miracle did Ninja and Samurai gain an adequate amount of time to recuperate and regroup. With Tobi dealing with the traitorous, or not so traitorous Kabuto, as well as seven of the nine Legendary Beasts, it was sufficient to say that everything came crashing down around his shoulders. What Katubo had hoped to achieve in addition to bringing further confusion to the war was never known, and probably never will.

Finally, after terrible losses from the massive Tailed Beast Bomb that had completely blocked out the sun, Twenty Thousand ninja charged with the final blow had been roughly decimated to Seven Thousand in number. With Naruto Uzumaki and Kirabi leading the charge, the remnants of each army had clashed in an epic battle of blood, gore and vengeance.

Or so Hanabi had heard.

While almost every single ninja of chunin rank and above fought in the front-lines, fresh out of the academy genin like Hanabi, and genin in general, were left to defend the village. While Konoha herself had not come under attack, Kumo and Suna were not so privileged. During the first year, the Village Hidden in the Clouds had almost been razed to the ground, very much like Konoha had been after Pein's Invasion. The reasoning behind the attack was to flush out and capture the two remaining Jinchuriki, both residing within the perimeter of the village. It was also said to be the incident that lead Naruto Uzumaki and Kirabi into the war effort. Suna, on the other hand, had to suffer a month's time of siege. Their natural graphical advantage, as well as Lord Kazekage's Ultimate Defense, had been able to hold off horde after horde of suicidal attacks that would have surely crushed any other village. Lord Gaara's mastery over sand easily granted him the title, 'God of the Desert ', and as a result from their past encounter with Deidara of Akatsuki, Suna had also taken time and effort to muster the most impeccable anti-air in the the whole land. The boast was effectively put to the test, and needless to say, not a single life form roamed the skies of Suna during that time.

How the Akatsuki were able to mysteriously to transport an army of that proportion and size underground, across half the Elemental Continent, as well as through a damn whole desert without detection remained a mystery in itself. It was a blessing that the Kazekage himself was settling domestic affairs within the village or it would surely have fallen within the first few days of the attack.

In the end, it was Kakashi Hatake and his company's timely arrival that had lifted the siege a day before the exhaustion of the (stored) water supply. The situation was in such a complete rut that before Kabuto had staged his coup d'état, the Kages themselves were in heavy debate, regarding whether or not to send mere genin to bolster front-line forces. Oonoki, the late Third Tsuchikage, also renowned as Oonoki the Fence-Sitter, had argued bitterly that genin of each village had not participated in Chunin Promotion Exams in two years, and even the laziest of them were sure to be low chunin level by now. Had that pivotal incident with Kabuto not taken place, Hanabi was sure to have seen blood already- lots and lots of it. As it was, Hanabi and her team, occasionally with their Jonin Sensei, had undertaken many C-rank, B-rank, and even a couple A-ranks missions in the later days of war.

Desperate needs had called for desperate measures, and even though genin were mostly charged with guarding supply routes and defence of the village- C and even B-ranks, the promising ones were dispatched for higher ranking tasks. With all the prominent ninja so preoccupied with the war, field promotions were far and few in between. The Hidden Leaf itself had even prohibited such promotions, stating that it was far too dangerous for inexperienced chunins running amuck amid all the commotion.

As a result, the lavender eyed genin- now chunin, was withheld from the more… uglier and gruesome side of war. Most, if not all genin teams of Konoha were ordered to stay at at least 50 kilometers away from large-scale battles- those that could turn pretty ugly, pretty fast. Sure, she had participated in minor skirmishes, but nothing that could cut down more than 10, 000 ninja in one sickening blow... Even the indestructible Hyuuga Main House Technique, **Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven**, rumoured to be tougher and sturdier than Lord Kazekage's Ultimate Defense, was unable to save the countless Hyuga lost on that fateful day. However, **Kaiten** _is_ a Main House Technique and Hanabi also knew that the few Main House members that had participated in the assault mostly perished in the forthcoming mêlée, not the opening march. Now, as it is, the ruling house of the Hyuga Clan was basically reduced to Hanabi, her father, and a couple of elders who had not ventured outside village exterior for who knows how long. Not that there were many to begin with, for even before the war, the Main House only numbered around 20 members, vastly insignificant compared to the much more numerous Branch House.

Nevertheless, it had taken a full year for the Villages to collect their remaining strength and begin hosting Chunnin Selection Exams once again. The newer generation were starting to grow a bit restless and each and every village strives to regain some of its lost power. But one precious thing war had brought was unity, and despite its substantial price tag, the Shinobi World did seem a friendlier place, though admittedly sadder. No longer do Iwa-nin harbor intense hatred for Konoha, nor does Kiri ninja distrust Iwa. For a time, the flames of war were dulled, but one would never know when it might rear its ugly head and once again consume the World in utter and complete chaos.

That was something Hanabi was determined to oppose, for the war had left the young Hyuuga a genin of 12 to an jonin level shinobi at the blooming age of 16. While not a genius on the level of her late cousin Neji, who had perished in the final assault along with Hinata, she was still considered a prodigy. The sudden memories of her former brother-like figure and kind, delicate sister immediately resulted in a searing ache in her chest. A flash of pain instantly passed across her flawless face, only to be replaced by an impassive façade of nonchalance and apathy; it slipped away as quickly as it came, for time had dulled the hurt, the agony, the pain, but the magnitude of sorrow and regret were far too great for a mere child of sixteen to bear, even after a full year of lamentation.

'_I am a Hyuga', _she forcefully thought, _'one to become Clan Head. I will not betray the trust installed in me by Hinata and Neji. Grieving will have to wait. Father is in need of me.'_

With new-found determination, the kunoichi known as Hanabi Hyuuga, Heiress of the Legendary Hyuga Clan, went forth amid a crowd of cheering and laughter; the child sobbing painfully in a cold, forsaken corner completely banished, never to rear her tear streaked face until a time that would call for her once again.

XXXX

**Six Months Later**

Tsunade Senju, Godaime Hokage of Konokagakure No Sato, and last of the Legendary Three Sannin, contemplated her next crucial decision as she rested in the welcoming embrace of her Hokage seat. Hanabi Hyuuga, newly promoted jounin and one of her most talented ninja, was tasked with a diplomacy mission to the still-rebuilding Kumogakure no Sato. While under normal circumstances, such a mission would not have resulted in such a migraine, but as it is right now, tension between villages may seem low, and even to the point of non-existent, but experience dictates that all it would take is one false move for it to come crashing down on _everyone's_ shoulders.

While sending Hanabi to Kumo may seem foolhardy, the Godaime wanted to continue building ties between the Hidden Cloud and Leaf, and what better way to show ones sincerity than sending a Main Branch Hyuuga? And the Heiress to boot. But that was where the crux of the problem lay. Hiashi, while in agreement of the plan, was desperately protective of his only remaining family member. While the Clan Head went to extreme lengths to mask it, the loss of his eldest daughter and nephew had hit him hard- harder than anyone would have thought. Many of the Hyuuga noticed too, for whenever leaving Hanabi's side, a slight flicker of pain would flash across the man's otherwise impassive visage; rumour had it that he was even engaging his daughter at light conversation at the dinner table; ones that did not involve politics and life of a shinobi. It was a great pity that those changes came at such hefty prices.

Not surprisingly, Hiashi had, in the literal sense, put his foot down regarding protection that was to be provided to Hanabi. While the Fourth Raikage was a honourable, albeit rash man, he did not retain his old man's passion for gathering bloodlines. Unfortunately, one could not say the same for any remnants of the Third Raikage's reign. While duty-bound and powerful, A's father had a fetish for collecting Kekkei Genkai, constantly gathering them to strengthen the military might of Kumo. Despite that quirk and its obvious consequences, Tsunade had somewhat respected the man, even up to his heroic death at the hands of Ten Thousand Shinobi. The Kage had fought for three days and nights, and eventually perished due to the ungodly number wounds he suffered, all to ensure the safety of his comrades. Truly, a man to be remembered.

Back on track, the Godaime needed to send guards strong enough to ensure the Heiress's safety while at the same time not arise suspicion of her, and Hiashi's, minor concern.

Who to dispatch...

Suddenly experiencing an epiphany, Tsunade sprang to her feet. She would send_ them_, she realised, and maybe she could hit two birds with one stone! The presence of such powerful figures may result in some minor alarm in the rebuilding village, but it was insignificant. She was absolutely positive it would all work out neatly and perfectly in the end, or so she hopped.

XXXX

**Two Weeks Later**

As Naruto and his ANBU squad crossed the borders into Fire Country, they were immediately assaulted by a minor genjutsu. This particular genjutsu was nothing if not ordinary, for all it did was confound the target, or target's, sense of direction. The **Sly Mind Affect Technique** itself is an E-rank supplementary jutsu, which causes the victim(s) to travel around endlessly in circles, but in the hands of a master, it can deceive even A-rank ninja.

No, what troubled Naruto was the technique that was sure to follow. The Blonde ANBU Captain, who also held the capacity of Deputy-Commander of said organisation, only knew of three Genjutsu Users in Konoha that utilised the subtle art to such an extent to actually initiate their attack with it, especially on a fully equipped ANBU squad. The crazy thing was that two of them were currently in ANBU itself! Who would dare attack the Hokage's personal forces in Konoha held territory, not so long after the war?

"Commander, my kikaichu detect a triple layered illusion currently assaulting our senses, and one hostile unknown roughly 50 meters east," supplied the Owl Masked Agent on Naruto's right.

Cursing his luck, Naruto issued his command. "Owl, protect us as we break free. Tiger, stall him."

"Hai," they chorused.

After a minute of futile struggle, Naruto cursed. Quickly drawing upon half a tail's worth of Kyuubi chakra, the ANBU Captain unleashed it all in a searing torrent of pain and anguish. Wincing, the Blonde immediately surveyed his surroundings. He, unsurprisingly, found his team in a different part of the forest than they were a second ago, and before long, an explosion was heard to his left.

Creating two shadow clones to watch over Owl and his remaining teammate, Naruto quickly rushed to the site of action, or rather, lack-of. There, dishing out precise jukken strikes to the cold, chilling air stood ANBU squad member Tiger. The Hyuuga was thoroughly engaging an illusionary enemy with, dare he say it, barely controlled gusto! Different tones of maniacal laughter was emitted from the masked man as his voice rang throughout the clearing. The worrying thing was that actual bruises began appearing on the ANBU's body... There was probably only one genjutsu user in the whole Elemental Country that was capable of such a feat. To trap a _Hyuga_ in a genjutsu _and_ induce a personality shift? There was absolutely no doubt.

Shaking his head, Naruto called out to the darkness, "Yakumo, show yourself, and drop whatever it is you're doing to my subordinate this instant!"

Before he had even finished his little speech, a women with a dove mask in one hand, donned in standard ANBU attire, virtually materialised before him. "But what fun is that, Naruto-senpai? Your ANBU companion is clearly enjoying himself as he spars with a vastly superior opponent, brutally witnessing the might of a true jukken expert!" she finished with flourish, a coy smile plastered across her face.

With long brown hair and light brown eyes, the lithe woman before him carried a look of utter and pure innocence. One may have even mistaken her for a civilian had they not sensed the aura of strength and confidence she radiated. It was only during the third and last year of the war did Naruto have the pleasure of being reacquainted with her, and needless to say, it came as a complete shock. No longer stood the weak, frail and feeble little girl that had sought vengeance and retribution. Instead, a women who had found her ultimate place in the world had stood in her place. Despite her physical weakness, her drive, her passion, and her determination to become the best had, like Lee, brought her further than any would dare dream of accomplishing.

But one thing everyone had not foresaw was with the growth of her skills and abilities, so grew her unique and sadistic personality. Some may even relate her quirks to being trained by Kurenai Yuhi and the mother of all things morbid, Anko Mitarashi herself! But no- Naruto knew it was all her. The way she expertly utilised her seemingly harmless outer appearance to such efficiency- it frightened even to the ANBU Commander himself. Naruto's ultimate theory was that this was Yakumo Kurama, the real Kurama Heiress, for without the influence of Ido, the monster who had been generated within the girl's mind, her personality was able to flourish without hindrance. And if memory served, the Yakumo roughly 9 years ago was also in possessed of a killer sadistic streak...

However, there were times when her actual sanity was in question, and our blonde hero couldn't help but wonder whether overcoming her inner demon may had resulted in the Heiress unintentionally gaining a more _wilder_ and _darker_ side; it was a clearly plausible explanation... But regardless, she was probably one of his closest friends after the war, and seeing her dominating nature in action did, though he hated to admit it, turn him on somewhat.

Mentally cursing his slight machosistic tendencies and subsequently placing the blame on Tsunade and Co, Naruto forcefully focused his attention back to the situation at hand. "You forget. I am fully authorised to install _any_ measures of punishment to _any_ member of ANBU. In addition, a report of this incident will be filed to the Hokage herself!"

Licking her lips seductively, the coy women replied, "I'm certain Naruto-senpai would personally perform those penalties himself," she ended with a wink, practically purring "and I'm absolutely positive that Hokage-sama is... too grossly enthralled with her new stash of Mount Myoboku sake, which is rumoured to be the richest in terms of taste and strength, to squander her precious time going through petty, little complaints." In short, she bribed the damn Hokage! Guess being able to materialise whatever one so desired with a flick of a brush did come in pretty handy... Dropping the subject at hand, Naruto continued sarcastically, "And I assume Baa-chan has such an insanely important task for us that it cannot wait a single day so I can freshen up aft-"

"Don't act like _that_ Naruto-senpai," she interrupted while giggling, "you're a glutton for big, bad missions and everyone knows it!".

Smiling slightly beneath his mask, Naruto brushed the comment off with a casual wave of his hand. Shaking his head, the man thanked Kami for sending Yakumo to him. With so much lost to the world, Naruto treasured those that were precious to him even more than before, if that was humanly possible, and he had no doubt the past year would have literally been Hell had the constantly cheerful woman not brightened his days with her deadly, but vastly amusing antics.

Within a flash, the members of his ANBU squad appeared by his side, with Tiger seemingly glaring holes at their newest addition. Sighing, Naruto quickly scanned through the document sent by Lady Tsunade, and immediately stiffened as he reviewed the mission requirements. Seeing the blonde's inner turmoil, Yakumo, without missing a single beat, issued commands in his stead. " Under direct orders of the Hokage, senpai and I are to commence with our new mission. You three are to continue your way back to the Hidden Leaf, and during this time period, Tiger is appointed temporary captain of the squad."

Quickly snapping out of it, Naruto gave them a curt nod, confirming her orders. Without a word, all three ANBU departed in a gust of leaves or a burst of smoke, leaving the Kurama Heiress and Jinchuriki alone in the clearing. Gazing into the night sky, the Deputy-Commander of Konoha's so called "Shadow Elites" contemplated his next move. While the mission itself was classified A-rank, with a very slight potential of progressing into S-rank, it was the client herself that came as a shock. Creating a shadow clone to confront the Hokage in his stead, the blonde ninja refocused his attention to his long-term partner. "Any suggestions?"

"Our mission requires us to rendezvous at the boarders of The Land of Fire and The Land of Hot Water in three days. The journey itself will only take two, so time for rest and recuperation can easily be factorised. There is a town nearby and I have already reserved two rooms for us."

Smiling despite himself, the blonde unsealed a coat to cover his ANBU attire, and also motioned Yakumo to do the same. It would only do more harm than good pouncing into a civilian town dressed as they were. Naruto had learnt on his first mission as ANBU that people tend to act uneasy in the presence of such highly ranked officers. In truth, it wasn't really the cloths they wore that set people on the edge, but rather the seemingly omnipotent authority they represented. No one wanted to mess with the Hokage.

Giving him another one of her innocent smiles, his companion, in a blink of an eye, dropped her standard ANBU garb, only for it to be replaced by an elegant dress with an intricate design that hugged her in all the right places. Giving him a "come get me" gesture, accompanied by a playful wink, the infuriating woman leapt away in the direction of the town. Surprisingly, still moving with the grace of a ninja despite the hindrance provided by the dress.

Sighing, Naruto quickly followed suit, already dreading the mission that is to come.

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And that's it folks! Tell me what you think!

**Remember**, reviews will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, because if I did, there would be a special chapter dedicated to Haku, proving that she is, indeed, a she. Believe it!

**The Remnants of War**

**Authors Note: **I would like to thank everyone for your kind reviews and encouragement. This chapter was supposed to come out on Saturday but due to certain circumstances, it didn't. My computer suspiciously crashed, things were said, and in truth, it didn't really work out for me. None-the-less, I sincerely apologise and please enjoy the chapter.

Forgive the cliche opening...

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**Chapter Two**

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_No, No, No! This simply couldn't be happening, could it? Formed at the epicenter of what was once a lush forest now stood a cruel, merciless crater where two limp bodies lay; the bodies of his most precious people. With hot tears streaming unashamed, Naruto clumsily made his way towards the heartbreaking site, tripping and falling as he went. Kneeling beside the nearest form- Sasuke's form- the blonde gazed into the Uchiha's eyes, hoping to catch a small glimpse of life in those revenge-filled orbs. As if to spite him, they blankly stared back, lifeless like a doll's; the fire they had previously radiated simply vanished. Gone. Discarded. Snuffed out._

_Quickly diverting his attention to the other body, this one slightly charred and bloody, the form of Sakura Haruno, his teammate, his friend, his non-reciprocating love... Within a flash, he was by her side, hoping against hope that she had, against all odds, managed to survived the fatal encounter. His prayers were heard, it seemed, as h__e was joyfully rewarded with a small, insignificant rise of her chest- so small he nearly missed it. As if to drive the point home, t_he pink haired medic suddenly coughed, spewing blood in the process. Kneeling beside her, the blonde man cradled her worn out body in his arms, relief instantly washed over him. "Sakura-chan," he whispered as he looked upon her beautiful face, a face he had known, adored and **loved** his whole existence. It was pale and wan but somehow, it excluded an ethereal glow as well. "It's all right now, everything's over," _he whispered, mostly to himself, "w_e'll take you to Tsunade-baachan. Baachan will save you. Baachan will **definitely** save you..." he finished with new-found conviction, fully convincing himself now. There was no way he was going to lose **both** Sasuke and Sakura, especially in one day. The fates weren't that cruel.

_Just as he was about to rise, the pink haired woman shifted and attracted his attention with a weak shake of her delicate little head, huge forehead and all. With much visible effort, the medic rasped, "Naruto...li-listen to me." With refined care, the Jinchuriki immediately supported the back of her head, providing her a better view of his face. Smiling despite herself, the medic casually continued, "I'm dying, Naruto..."_

_His response was instant. "No, that's not true!" his movements suddenly frantic, "you can't be. You simply **can't** be!"_

_Coughing up more blood than was possibly healthy, the medic looked lovingly at the blond, "It's my time to go, Naruto. I can practically feel it. Sasuke-kun punctured many of my organs, and it's only my medical expertise that's kept me alive for this long."_

_Shaking his head at the lunacy of it all, Naruto cried out once again, worry and disbelief etched on his features "But Baachan! Baachan wou-"_

_"It's already too late." The reply was short, firm and filled with conviction. Shock was the first emotion Naruto experienced, then came frustration and an inexplicable urge to destroy something. **Anything. **_

_With renewed determination, the pink haired woman managed to continue, "Listen, Naruto. I-I apologise to have kept it from you, but... but the truth is...". Unable to finish her sentence, Sakura closed her eyes and turned her head as streaks of tears rushed from her eyelids. She can do this, she told herself. She had been waiting so long to do this, and even if it was incredibly selfish, she wanted to tell him. She wanted him to know how she truly felt, how she truly felt about him. It would cause him pain, unimaginable pain, but she was always selfish like that. Sakura was sure she would be sent to the Underworld for it, but she just wanted him to know... was that ever so wrong? Wanting him to know?_

_"I love you, Naruto", she whispered when she made her final decision, barely audible. With pain clouding her voice, the medic repeated herself, the words clearer than before, "I love you."_

_As if the world had simply stopped, so was the expression of the Kyubi Jinchuriki- dumbstruck. The look of utter shock and incredulity. Choking back a sob, Naruto shook with unanswered tears. He had always wanted to hear those three words from Sakura. Not Konoha's Sakura, not Sasuke's Sakura, but **his** Sakura. _

_I. __Love. You. Three simple, curt and meaningless words, yet like an idiot, he had craved them none-the-less. But not like this. Oh Kami, not like this. Not with the only woman he had ever dreamed of loving, dreamed of having, dying in his very arms. Cruel, so very cruel... __Sobbing into Sakura's shirt, Naruto regained some little composure to finally face her._

_"I-It was always us," she said when she had his full attention, "you, Sasuke-kun and I. Even Kakashi-sensei... Back during genin selections, it began. I-I guess you can call it fate, but I was such a fool back then. Focusing all my energy on chasing Sasuke-kun instead of getting stronger; berated you for being such an idiot when I was the biggest idiot of us all. I couldn't help you two fend off Orochimaru and was helpless when he first fueled Sasuke-kun's thirst for revenge. I couldn't do a thing. In the end, I even begged you to bring Sasuke-kun back to me. How very pathetic..."_

_"No! Please stop talking, Sakura-chan!" wailed Naruto. They were wasting previous little time she had and he simply didn't want to hear this. Not here, not now. He just couldn't take it any more, as if allowing her to finish would doubtlessly seal her fate. In a way, he was right._

_But seemingly ignoring the blonde's outburst, the medic continued __uninterrupted, "Later on, I realised that chasing everyone's shadow will ultimately get me nowhere. I was overjoyed when Tsunade-shisho took me in. No longer would I be the extra baggage in the team. **The Burden.** I trained long and hard so one day... one day we would bring Sasuke-kun back as a team. After your return, we searched for him. The missing member of Team Seven- our little family. You, Kakashi-sensei and I, we searched long and hard and finally on that fateful day on the bridge, we meet him. We meet Sasuke-kun, but even before that, we knew he had changed. It was then that I made up my mind. With my own bare hands, I will kill him. I would kill Sasuke-kun and after the deed was done, seek death unto myself. Clean and simple. But when push came to shove, I was still too weak and it was you and Kakashi-sensei that saved me in the end. I was useless... once again..."_

_Gazing loving at Naruto, and with whatever energy she had left, the medic was able to ghostly stroke the blonde's hair. "I trained after that," she said,"but you already know that. I sought Kakashi-sensei and I sought Tsunade-shisho. I endured through training I had never dreamed nor experienced before. It was during this time that you slowly crept into my heart. Your constant upbeat attitude, your desire to never give up and your unique and unquenchable determination. It all began with closer bonds of friendship and slowly progressed to love. Oh, how I wanted to tell you, Naruto, but how would I? How could I do such a thing when I still loved Sasuke-kun? It was unfair to you and I knew it. You were my sun and Sasuke were my stars. I couldn't live without either of you and I was selfish. So very selfish... I wanted... I wanted everything to be like it was in the odd days. The beginning of Team Seven, the beginning of our little family. Wouldn't that be just grand..."_

_With as much power as she could muster, Sakura gently wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck, and with much visible strain, lifted her head higher and higher, inch by inch. Immediately catching on, the blonde instinctively brought his own lips closer to hers. Slowly yet surely, their lips finally meet. There was no explosion, no rumoured spark of electric current and certainly no eye-blinding light that flashed in all directions. No force, no urgency, no regret. _

_Just... sweet. Sweet, soft and loving.  
_

_With one final sigh, Sakura whispered, "I do truly love you, Naruto." _

_She left peacefully, with a smile on her face. I__t was only after the whole fiasco did Naruto realise it was his first kiss- his very first kiss with a women. Bitter-sweet, he would describe it, so bitter-sweet... _

With a start, Naruto awoke from his dream, a sheen of sweat covering his body and somehow glistening in the moonlight. Holding back tears of pain and sorrow, the ANBU Commander sat motionless on his bed. Hollow; that was the word that described the feeling. He hadn't dreamed that particular dream in a full year, and suddenly he felt... really... hollow...

As if in a daze, he just stared blankly at the wall, thinking about nothing and everything. It seemed all strength and exuberance had deserted him as he sat there- pondering And just as he was about to drift into another restless slumber, his partner materialised right before his eyes. Gazing at him with eyes that held a level of compassion that nearly broke him, the brown haired woman ventured onto his bed and immediately wrapped her slender arms around his frail form.

But the next thing that took place shocked both of them, more him than her. He didn't know what overcame him, maybe it was her unorthodox action and his sudden need for human comfort, but it had triggered something that was hidden in him for so long. And as if the flood gates were released, the blonde Jinchuriki found himself crying his very heart and soul into the woman's warm embrace. The walls of isolation and indifference he built had crumbled for the very first time that night. It was only afterwards had he vowed for events to never repeat itself again, and that evenings weakness only a dream...

XXXX

**Three Days Later**

On a small section of a dainty, little dirt road leading to The Land of Hot Springs stood three Hyuga members. Now, by a single glance, anyone with a bit of sense can discern they certainly weren't your ordinary travelers, marked clear by their lack of visible accessories and purpose-filled steps. They were ninja belonging to one of the Four Noble Clans of Konoha, and that in itself brought new questions to mind. What were battle-hardened shinobi doing moving about in such an unconventional method? The peculiar way ninja travel was no secret so what prompted the change?

Unknown to innocent passer-by's, the protection of the delegation was not only limited to each member's own person skill and prowess in battle, but an external force as well. This particular force was, in truth, a new technique developed by set clan to ward off unwanted hostiles during the war, namely the Black and White Zetsus'. An invisible barrier, circular in shape, that stops and reflects any chakra or body containing set amount of chakra was definitely quite the obstacle to overcome. In terms of defensive power, it provides almost half the strength of the **Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven**, but only effective at its outer-most ring. What more, the range of the skill grows directly in proportion to each Hyuga's individual sight and abilities, with the mental option to retract its length. In short, the longer the distance one's Byakugan can cover, the greater the range it can be extended to. Hyuga with most precise and refined chakra control can even shift the chakra limit to suit different needs on different frontiers.

The most annoying factor was the individual casting the layer had perfect vision of barrier surroundings, and can relay information and respond accordingly to each and every attack. A surprise assault is impossible. A truly frustrating technique to overcome, especially when accumulated en masse. This was the obstacle Hiashi had set for the team that was charged with overseeing his daughters safety. If they failed, Hanabi was to continue with her current white-eyed guardians, but if by any chance, this Dove and Sparrow succeeded, then the man can rest well knowing the safety of his Heir are in good hands.

Information concerning the dispatchment of ANBU squads were barred off, even to a man of Hiashi's standing and power. The safety of Tsunade's subordinates resulted in the Fifth being adamantly strict about the identity of her two agents, only promising the information after the troop was harmlessly past Fire Country boarders. Of course, another important, while lesser factor also played a role in the Hokage's decision, namely adhering to the rules and regulations set by her late sensei. While wise, it definitely did not suit the over-protective father, thus the current arrangement.

The tension within the group as they neared their destination was so thick that even civilians could feel something amiss; the nearest travelers quite a sizable distance from the ninja. Internally tensed and ready to respond to any immediate attack, Hanabi scanned the surrounding area with her Byakugan with fastidious care. Whoever these ANBU were, Lady Tsunade installed much faith in their abilities. Her two companions were both top notch, A-rank Hyuga who have proved their skills repeatedly throughout the war. The fact that they _survived_ the bloody thing spoke eons of their abilities. They were determined not to fail.

Just as they reached the rendezvous point, a figure seemed to magically appear in her line of sight. Overcoming her initial shock, the Princess reflexively executed a well-placed jukken strike to her far left, instantly dissipating the intruder. Unlike the dispelling of a tangible clone, the image just flickered away.

_'Was it only a standard clone?' _she questioned herself. It couldn't be, she then reasoned; her Byakugan would have no doubt seen through it, and the solid feel of her target as their flesh connected was certainly no illusion. Acting on instinct, she quickly bent low and caught another one of those "image's" in the gut, courtesy of a graceful backward kick.

This wasn't right, she realised as she righted herself. These ghostly opponents that dispersed in a single hit just appeared out of the blue. Like air, they shimmered into view without detection from her Bloodline. The barrier technique one of her guards had casted had also meet no resistance. She knew because she saw it with her own two eyes; no intruder had appeared within their line of view before this. An ambush underground was not possible, nor feasible, as the barrier filtered anyone with above civilian level chakra and its ability extending there too. It was a tricky little technique and Hanabi herself did not understand the full mechanisms of it yet. Yes, she knew how to perform it, but the theory behind it all was still a mystery to her. Heck, how in the world is the selective membrane selective in the first place still eluded her. But one thing she knew for a fact is that they would have definitely known if someone was watching and waiting in the shadows.

An ambush against Hyuga is virtually impossible as nothing can possibly evade the Byakugan. Proof of it's astounding perceptibilty is that no genjutsu in the Elemental Nations can hope to deceive it, with the only exception being the Mangekyo Sharingan's fabled Tsukuyomi, and that in itself, an untested theory.

Just as Hanabi readied herself against another spontaneous assault, she suddenly found herself falling backwards onto the ground, suddenly stiff as a rock. A shocked expression was plastered across her delicate features as her brain tried in vain to process what had happened. Ignorant bliss finally overtook her failing senses as she frantically drifted into unconsciousness, her doujutsu deactivating in the process.

XXXX

Gingerly opening her eyes, the white-eyed Princess found herself slumped against the trunk of a common forest oak. With healthy green foliage in her direct line of sight, she shock her head to rid it of its grogginess. Straightening up, the events of their little skirmish instantly flooded her mind. Unconsciously slipping into her Jukken Stance, she was surprised to find a brown haired woman in her mid-twenties waving cheerfully at her. Blinking, Hanabi was sorely tempted to rub the sleep off her eyes. She could have sworn the suspicious figure wasn't there a moment ago.

Approaching the seemingly harmless girl with her muscles tense, the Hyuga Heiress tentatively asked, "Who are you."

Giving her an innocent little smile with a shake of her little head, the stranger only beckoned her forward. Patting at the empty space beside her, the woman only giggled at Hanabi's lack of movement, a very pleasant sound, the Hyuga noted. Weighing her options and alternatives, Hanabi figured she wasn't in any immediate danger. Dropped her stance, she sat beside the girl while still maintaining a respectable distance.

To her discomfort, her queer companion seemed to find that very amusing and shot her little grin. "Hello Hanabi," she began casually, as if they had known each other their whole lives, "I'm Dove and I will be one of your guardians for the duration of your mission. Your Hyuga friends, after conceding defeat and acknowledging our presence, have already departed for Konoha. You're in safe hands now so loosen up!"

While comforted by this new-found knowledge, Hanabi was not going to accept a strangers word for it. The fact that her previous companions had left without a word was a tad suspicious on its own. Frowning, she demanded mildly, "I will need more proof than that. You can easily be an enemy agent impersonating an ANBU- this form of trickery is well-known within our clan and is not uncommon in the Ninja World. The added fact that you blatantly removed your mask before our meeting is also against standard ANBU procedure."

Now on the receiving end of a full-blown grin, the Hyuga suddenly found herself in possession of a Konoha ANBU Badge. Being familiar with the item, she quickly confirmed its authenticity. Even so, Hanabi still had her doubts about the abnormally playful and petite woman. Seemingly sensing her hesitation, Dove leaned in, her chest on full display, and practically whispered, "If you still don't believe me, I can show you my tattoo!". A devious grin somehow made its way to the woman's face.

Instinctively on the defense, the Hyuga just raised her eyebrows as her whole body tensed- this was the deciding moment. Hanabi thought she was prepared, but what transpired next knocked her right out of her body. For within a flash, the brown haired woman was up and seductively removing her trousers. Her voluptuous form on full display. Mouth agape, the white-eyed Princess could only watch as the offending piece of garment found its way on the cold, forest floor. As if on queue, the sun began shinning through the leaves and covered the lady with a strange, new glow, accentuating her curvaceous form. Entranced, Hanabi could only stare as those lewd fingers tenderly found their way from her naval to her side, caressing gently as they went. Just as they were about to reach their destination, where her last piece of lower-body clothing lay, a sickening crunch of a body slamming itself into a tree found its way to Hanabi's ears, instantly bringing her to her senses.

As if a spell had been lifted, the Hyuga Heiress found herself glaring holes at the woman, a blush adorned her cheeks. Whoever she was, she was certainly dangerous. Switching on her Byakugan, she immediately found the source of the noise. A blonde haired man who was previously observing them on a nearby branch now lay twitching uncontrollably as an unrealistic amount of Blood flowed from all sides of his mask. Narrowing her eyes and looking past it with her Byakugan, Hanabi found herself staring at the face of one Naruto Uzumaki; the Leaf's resident Jinchuriki and one of the most powerful man on the continent!

So this was why Lady Tsunade had so much confidence in the two.

Directing her attention from the unconscious blonde to the pouting woman, she can only assume "Dove" was the infamous Genjutsu She-Devil of Konoha, Yakumo Kurama. With her cousin Neji, the three had formed one of the deadliest and efficient three-man squads Konoha had produced- S-rank Shinobi all, a little like the Three Sannin back in the day. Rumour had it that Yakumo single-handedly held a crucial position while under heavy attack for five whole days. When reinforcements finally arrived, the enemy were crudely scattered upon the battlefield without a single physical wound. Further investigation had deemed them dead- all of them. A count numbering two thousand White Zetsu's slaughtered by a lone ninja in such an astounding manner...

The Genjutsu Mistress had somehow also obtain the ability to sever part of Kabuto's influence from his animated dead, for while still receiving orders from the man during battle, the medic was not able to recall his forces back into their "coffins" for an immediate retreat. The screams of those battle hardened shinobi had brought shivers to many a ninja unfortunate to be present, thus earning Yakumo her infamous moniker. Could this strange woman really be her?

Not knowing the next step to take in her current situation, Hanabi just stood by with a blank look, hoping to catch the two interact and discern their current team dynamics. The Kurama Heiress was nothing she was lead to expect, and by the looks of it, needed every ounce of intelligence she could gather to deal with the duo. Neji had always told her to tread lightly. Directly his advice to include his former teammates, Hanabi decided that it was aptly given indeed.

* * *

Ok folks, that's the end of the show! Send me a review and tell me what you think! Seriously, it will be appreciated 0.o

And yes, my lucky reviewer, Naruto's masochistic tendencies do rein supreme! -sigh- I think it's because of him I've developed an uncanny attraction to slightly dominating women... o.o Curse you Naruto and Fanfiction writers alike!

-cough- Ignore that last outburst.


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